BAHUJAN SAMAJ Party chief Mayawati on Monday called Narendra Modi the “first Prime Minister since Independence to enact a drama of roadshows and temple visits” and claimed that his “long presence” in Varanasi shows that the BJP is in a bad position in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. Interacting with the media at her residence here, the former CM said Modi is campaigning in this election as if he is the “undeclared chief ministerial candidate”. She said even members of Modi’s Union Cabinet, as well as his party MPs, have criticised his roadshows in Varanasi. Mayawati accused Modi and his “chela” — BJP president Amit Shah — of attempting to give a communal colour to the campaign after they “realised that their political future is going to be dark”.

She said, “He (Modi) is holding roadshows, visiting temples, offering prayers…. This is the first time since Independence that this sort of drama has been done by a Prime Minister.”

She said the BJP is bringing in the communal colour to its campaign with its promise to close down slaughterhouses in UP, even though abattoirs are open in other BJP-ruled states.

“Why did they not shut slaughterhouses in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh? Why has the government not enacted a national law to ban slaughter of animals,” she asked.

“These (abattoirs) are run by people of all religions, not just one religion. Even BJP leaders run them.”

Taking on Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav, Mayawati said the UP chief minister is stuck with calling her government “pattharwali sarkar” building statues) the way his father, former CM Mulayam Singh Yadav, is “fixated to China since he became the Defence Minister”.

She said, “Whenever someone asks him (Mulayam) anything, he talks about China. Similarly, his son, babua Akhilesh, talks about patthar-wali sarkar. He always says that the elephant statues installed during my government are still standing, and those built in sitting pose are still sitting. That is why I call him babua.”

The BSP chief also said Modi has not been able to fulfill his promises made to Varanasi before the 2014 General Election. “Leave aside turning Kashi into Kyoto or a smart city”, it has not been given the facilities of “even a normal city”, she claimed.